from a scalding impact.
She dropped into a fighting stance and regained her balance as the creature again seemed to be trying to communicate.
As she prepared to strike once more, she made out a familiar word despite the heavy distorting effect of the creature ’ s mouth and large forked tongue.
" …Safreon ."
She paused , but didn’t let down her guard. She analyzed the figure for any lapse in its defenses as she struggled to understand its odd form of speech.
" …sent by Safreon of the Warrens ," she managed to understand as the creature spoke.
" What about him? " she demanded recalling that lizards usually had soft and vulnerable bellies.
" Hemlock, I have been sent by Safreon to rescue you from the wizards," continued the creature in its odd , falsetto hisses.
" Why should I believe that? " she continued in a level tone.
" Because it is your only chance at survival ," replied the creature with a tone of impatience.
" What are you? You wear a Wizard’s robe– aren’t you a Wizard? " Hemlock asked.
" I am a Wizard and also a friend of Safreon. We have spoken in the last year about affairs in the Warrens and also events i n the Wizard T ower. He contacted me tonight when he deduced your foolish intentions to attack the tower," explained the lizard man in a lecturing tone at which Hemlock inwardly bristled.
She was becoming uncertain about the situation and this led to a feeling of extreme discomfort. If she trusted this…monster… to be a friend of Safreon then she was putting her life in its hands .
Am I ready to do that?
She felt confident that she could kill it– but it did claim to be a Wizard which would introduce unknown dangers.
" You obviously know things about me ," she replied " but that doesn’t mean that you are an ally. You may well be lying. "
" We don’t have time for this – I fear you have been detected already by others not so friendly as I . There are other watchful eyes in the Tower and they would not treat you as kindly as I will . Safreon has revealed to me that he holds a powerful magical artifact that I greatly desire to learn more about. That is the only reason I am risking my life to try and rescue you from certain death. Safreon made this b argain with me just minutes ago," r esponded the creature coolly.
Hemlock always felt secure when she felt that she understood a situation and that she could control it . Her mind was trying relentlessly to maintain a grasp on this encounter but it was like trying to grasp sand with her hands– the harder that she tried to grasp, the more she felt control slip through her fingers.
" What is the plan? " she asked , stalling for more time to assess the loyalty of the creature.
" The plan is that we will meet… " began the Lizard Man when Hemlock sensed the opening. Her mind was reeling, she felt powerless and the opening was too enticing– it was like she was drowning and thrashing and then her arm hit a piece of debris floating in the ocean , after a shipwreck. H er mind could not resist trying to regain control of the situation by grasping at the opportunity.
Her knife left her hand in a motion that seemed almost supernaturally fast.
The creature tracked it instantly , but the aim was too precise for it to dodge it altogether. The best that it could do was to twist and take the blow in the shoulder instead of the torso. Green blood jetted from the wound as the knife bit deep and Hemlock sprinted in for the kill, another knife from her left leg holster immediately in hand.
She slashed across her body and then as the creature faded back away from the slash , she caught it with a punch to the belly , which caused it to emit a hissing cry sounding much like one of the machines around which they fought.
She saw its right arm moving rhythmically then and felt the alignment of gathering magical energy.
Dropping hard to a knee , she thrust up and disrupted the motion and felt the gathering spell
She dropped into a fighting stance and regained her balance as the creature again seemed to be trying to communicate.
As she prepared to strike once more, she made out a familiar word despite the heavy distorting effect of the creature ’ s mouth and large forked tongue.
" …Safreon ."
She paused , but didn’t let down her guard. She analyzed the figure for any lapse in its defenses as she struggled to understand its odd form of speech.
" …sent by Safreon of the Warrens ," she managed to understand as the creature spoke.
" What about him? " she demanded recalling that lizards usually had soft and vulnerable bellies.
" Hemlock, I have been sent by Safreon to rescue you from the wizards," continued the creature in its odd , falsetto hisses.
" Why should I believe that? " she continued in a level tone.
" Because it is your only chance at survival ," replied the creature with a tone of impatience.
" What are you? You wear a Wizard’s robe– aren’t you a Wizard? " Hemlock asked.
" I am a Wizard and also a friend of Safreon. We have spoken in the last year about affairs in the Warrens and also events i n the Wizard T ower. He contacted me tonight when he deduced your foolish intentions to attack the tower," explained the lizard man in a lecturing tone at which Hemlock inwardly bristled.
She was becoming uncertain about the situation and this led to a feeling of extreme discomfort. If she trusted this…monster… to be a friend of Safreon then she was putting her life in its hands .
Am I ready to do that?
She felt confident that she could kill it– but it did claim to be a Wizard which would introduce unknown dangers.
" You obviously know things about me ," she replied " but that doesn’t mean that you are an ally. You may well be lying. "
" We don’t have time for this – I fear you have been detected already by others not so friendly as I . There are other watchful eyes in the Tower and they would not treat you as kindly as I will . Safreon has revealed to me that he holds a powerful magical artifact that I greatly desire to learn more about. That is the only reason I am risking my life to try and rescue you from certain death. Safreon made this b argain with me just minutes ago," r esponded the creature coolly.
Hemlock always felt secure when she felt that she understood a situation and that she could control it . Her mind was trying relentlessly to maintain a grasp on this encounter but it was like trying to grasp sand with her hands– the harder that she tried to grasp, the more she felt control slip through her fingers.
" What is the plan? " she asked , stalling for more time to assess the loyalty of the creature.
" The plan is that we will meet… " began the Lizard Man when Hemlock sensed the opening. Her mind was reeling, she felt powerless and the opening was too enticing– it was like she was drowning and thrashing and then her arm hit a piece of debris floating in the ocean , after a shipwreck. H er mind could not resist trying to regain control of the situation by grasping at the opportunity.
Her knife left her hand in a motion that seemed almost supernaturally fast.
The creature tracked it instantly , but the aim was too precise for it to dodge it altogether. The best that it could do was to twist and take the blow in the shoulder instead of the torso. Green blood jetted from the wound as the knife bit deep and Hemlock sprinted in for the kill, another knife from her left leg holster immediately in hand.
She slashed across her body and then as the creature faded back away from the slash , she caught it with a punch to the belly , which caused it to emit a hissing cry sounding much like one of the machines around which they fought.
She saw its right arm moving rhythmically then and felt the alignment of gathering magical energy.
Dropping hard to a knee , she thrust up and disrupted the motion and felt the gathering spell
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